Apparatus for treating liquids.



PATENTED MAY 15, 1906.

L. DION. APPARATUS FOR TREATING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION TILED MAY 24, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron LEON DION, OF NEW YORK. N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERIOUS ELEOTRO- Y YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF HERMATIG COMPANY, OF NEW ARIZONA TERRITORY.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING LIQUIDS- Specification of Letters Patent.

ratentecl May 15, 1906.

l rippdcation fl'ltd May 24, 1904. Serial No. 209,657.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON DION, a citizen the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in apparatus for treatin liqhuids whereby to recover the metals an ot er substances contained in them and to purify the liquids, of'whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relatesto that class of apparatus in which the li uids during their treatment are subjected\to t e action of an-electric current, and is especially adapted to the treatment of waters obtained from mine and miheral springs, whereby to not only recover the metals and other substances contained in them, but likewise purify the waters and render them potable and suitable for culinary and other uses, the object of the invention be- 7 ing to provide an apparatus of this class which while simple in construction shall at my invention; Fig. 2, a horizontal transverse section taken in the plane a: a! of Fig. 1 look ing. downward, and Fi 3 a side elevation ofa portionofone ofthe e ectrodes.

In all the figures like letters of reference are employed to designate corresponding parts.-

A indicates a vessel or reservolr for receiving the liquids to be treated, the same bein in a applied thereto. g

and B indicate two groups of electrodes,

preferabl constructed with a contracts lower bo y portion A, an enlarged globular portion A and a contracted upwardlyextending chamber portion A, with the entire interior of the several portions thereof provided with a vitreous or other insulating linbers 0 through which an electric current ma be applied to the liquids. These electro es may be constructed in various forms. In the em-' bodiment of the invention whichI have selected for purposes of illustration, however, they are constructed of corrugated plates of any appropriate material, of which the memthe positive or series 0 of each group are disposed in parallel relationshi to one another and secured at one of their e ges to a suitable base-plate 0, while the members of the negative or series 2: of each group are similarly arranged in a like relationship and ing base-plate 0 As thus secured to their respective base-plates these electrodes are respectively disposed within the upwardlyextending chamber ortion A and in the lower contracted bo y' portion A, with the members of the positive series a of each group extending between and alternating with the members of the negative series 0 but withoutcontacting with them or the members of either series extending sufiicientl far across to contact with the base-plate 0' the other. In this relationship the electrodes are secured in place by screws or bolts extending through their respective base-plates and engaging with suitable holes respectively formed in the walls of the upwardly-extending chamberportion A and in the walls of the lower contracted body portion A or otherwise. The groups of electrodes B and B being thus respectively secured within the upward ly-extending chamber portion A of the vessel or reservoir A and within the lower contracted body portion thereof, the series of positive electrodes 0 of each group are connected by appropriate .conductors 0*, while the seriesof negative electrodes c of eachgroup aresimilarly connected by conductors 0 with both thepositive and negative series 0 and 0', respectively, connected with any convenient source of electric supply-as, for instance,'with a dynamo I). In some instances these groups of electrodes may be connected with the source or electric supply in multiple circuit, in which cases the positive and negative poles of each group of electrodes will be separately connected with the respective positive and negative poles or elements of the electric generator or other source of electric supply independently of the secured to an oppositely-disposed correspondothers. In the drawings, however, I have shown the two groups Band B of electrodes series of electrodcsc and c of the group B being, respectively, connected with the positive and negative series of the group of electrodes medium of the conductors B through the intermediary of conductors d and d extend ing between them, with the positive and negative electrodes of the group B in turn connected with the positive and negative poles or elements of the dynamo D or other source of electric'su )ply through the d and (1.

With the parts constructed and-arrangcd as above explained the metal or other substances separated out from the liquid by the action of the electric current supplied through the group of electrodes B in traveling downward from them by the action of their gravity would move downward along the interior surface of the inclined portion a of the vessel or reservoir A in close relationship thereto and would 'ass between only a few of the electrodes 01' the group B on that side unless some provision was made for forcing them outwardly from that inclined surface, whereby to cause them to so distribute themselves below that they will pass between all of the electrodes of the group B. In order, therefore, to provide for this deflection of the particles of metal or other substances outward over the upper end of all of the electrodes of the roup B, I provide the interior of the incline ortion a with a deflector a P which extends inward therefrom, as shown in Fig. 1. By this means, as will be seen, the equal distribution of the particles of metal or other substances falling downward from the group of electrodes B over the group of electrodes B will be insured, and in order to provide for the contact of the liquid to be treated with the electror les' of the group B as it passes between them, as well as the contact of the particles of metal or other substances with the electrodes of the group B as they pass between them, the corrugations b of the respective electrodes of the groups B and B will be so disposed as to extend transversely across the path of the li( uid and the particles of metal or other substances separated out from it, whereby to form sinuous passages between them. In some instances the corrugations I) may extend in parallel straight lines across the face of the electrodes. In others they may be formed in the shape of broken or indented lines and in that shape extend transversely across them, andeither of thesc.forms may be adopted, as maybe preferred, and the apparatus operate with equal c'lliciency.

With the electrodes thus disposed within the contracted body portion of the vessel or reservoir A and the upwardly-extending chamber portion A the upper enlarged globular portion A of the latter is provi( ed with a suitable filter A. This filter, which may be constructed in any approved form, is here shown as composed of a s uitable frame of, with a layer or'layers of felt a or other ap propriate filtering material secured to or supported upon its under side, and is arranged centrally within the upper enlarged lobular portion of the vessel or reservoir a ove in transverse relationshi to the lower contracted body ortion X, I To ermit of this arran 'ement eing effected, t 1e upper enlar ed globular portion A is constructed Wifil a removable top a with they bottom portion a, counterbored for a small distance, whereby to form a shoulder or ledge a Upon the shoulder or ledge thus formed the filter A rests and may be firmly clamped by the removable top a which is provided around its outer lower edge with a screwthread a that engages with a corresponding female screw-thread a, formed in the interior of the counterbored upper end of the bottom portion a. By this means, as will be seen, not only is the filter firmly clamped in place when arran ed in operative relationship, but the remova of the same an access to it afforded when desired' The upper enlarged globular ortion A being thus e uipped with the filter A is also provided wit i a discharge-pipe E, by means of which the liquid passing through the filter maybe discharged, and with a chamber F, which in turn is provided in its top with a pressure-valve f and with a discharge-pipe f, leading from it, whereby any gases set free by the action of the current in passing through the liquid may be accumulated and when the pressure within the chamber exceeds a certain limit pass off through the valve and pi e and be thereb discharged. With the fi ter arranged as a ove explained ma be employed a brush or other cleaner A y means of which any particles of metal or other substances adhermg to its under side may be removed and the filter thereby rotectcd from obstruction. This brush, which is preferably disposed beneath the filter, may 1n some instances be arranged to slide back and forth in suitable guideways secured at its ends. In the drawlngs, however, I have shown it as constructed of a s ecific gravity su'liiciently light to'permit o its being held upward in contact with the under surface of the filter by its own buoyancy, and either of these forms of construction may be adopted, as preferred. The

the intermediaries of a crank 01 and a connect- IIC ' ing-rod 'i (is to the wrist-pm of the crank and the latter of which is jointed at one of its en at its other to the outer end of a rod 11, fitted to slide through an appropriate'stufling-box i and jointed at its inner end to the brush A, as shown. While the upper enlarged globular portion of the vesselor reservoir A 1s thus rovided, the lower end of the contracted ody ortion A, .which extends some distance below the oup of electrodes B is inclined downwarf t oward one of its sides and the side toward which it thus inclines provided with a dischargepipe L, through which any metal or other material deposited in the lower portion of the vessel or reservoir may be removed, with such discharge-pi e with a suitable provided with a suitable gate Z, whereby t e passa e throu h the pipe may be opened or close as maydw desired, As thus equi ped the lower portion of this contracted ody portion A of the vessel or reservoir is likewise provided with a hand-hole M, through which access to the interior of the vessel or reservoir may be had when required,. the same bei preferably constructed in the form of a iort. projecting ipe and rovided gate m, t on h w oh the o enin and closing of this han -hole may be e ecte when desired. In like manner to afford access to the electrodes B, as well as to the interiorof the vessel or reservoir A when desired I find it convenient to construct the upwardly-extending chamber ortion A w1th a detachable cover a", whic is preferably held in place when adjusted by suitable screws a and receives the end of a ipe C, through which the liquid to be treate by the ap aratus may be supplied.

ith an a para'tus constructed as above described'and with an electric current supplied to the electrodes through a proper circuit the operation of the ap aratus is as follows: The liquid to be treate will be delivered into the top ofthe upwardly-extending chamber portion A through the pipe C and passing downward between the electrodes of the group B will be charged with electricity. As thus charged the metal or'other substances contained in the liquid will be separated out therefrom and in its or their free state will under the action of gravity fall downward between the electrodes B, where it or they, with the liquid in which it or they are contained, will be subjected to afurther electric current, the consequence of which will be that the cohesive or other attractive forces possessed by the particles thus set free will e caused to act with greater intensity, and thereby draw together these particles and aggregate them into masses of larger magnitude, which by the continued actionof gravity will be deposited in the lower portion of the lower contracted portion of the vessel or reservoir A. With the liquid thus freed from from the lower end of t portion A, an up the metal or other substances and purified it willrise in the vessel or reservoir A and passin upward through the filter A where it wi 1 part with any floating partic es held in therein, when it will pass outward through i the pi e into an appro riate rece tacle arrange to receive it or 01; erwise. he metal or other substance having been thus removed e lower contracted portion A, the ate lwill be closed until the accumulation 0 metal or other substances in the lower end of the lower contracted portion becomes sufficiently great when the metal or other substances may be again removed, asbefore ex lained, and so on indefinitely, the liquid a ter havin been treated being discharged in a thorou h y purified and filtered condition. Shouldt e metal orother substances contained in the lower end of the lower contracted ortion of the vessel or reservoir A fail to ischarge itself through the tube L when the gate Z therein is o ened, it may be forced outward therethroug by the hand of the operator or some im lement thrust inward through the handole M, which may be permitted when it is desired by sim ly' opening the gate m, arranged therein,

Vghile in the drawings I have shown the requisite current supplied from an ordinary .dynamo, I wish it distinctly understood that I do not limit myself thereto, as it is obvious that I may employ any other form of generator and may avail of either frictional, voltaic', or other forms of current, as may be preferred or found the most convenient.

.With the interior of the vessel or reservoir A and the interior of the pipes L and M coated with an insulated lining it is to be understood that in practice the pi es 0, E, and the filter A, the chamber 1*, and the ro "i roe Will be insulated'at the pointswhere they-en- I ter or come in contact with the vessel or reservoir, as shown.

Having now described my invention and specified certain of the ways in which it is or may be carried into effect, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. The combination, with a vessel or reservoir constructed with a contracted lower body er globular portion A and with a contracte chamber portion A near its top, a oup of cooperating ositive and negative e ectrodes arranged wit in the con-' tracted chamber portion A, and means for supplying an electric current to the electrodes,

of leans through which the liquid to be treated may be supplied to thevessel or res ervoir in contact with the electrodes and caused to pass between then-1, and a com artment into which the material separator out from'the liquid may descend, substantially as described. t 2. The combination, with a vessel or reservoir constructed with a contracted lower body portion, an enlarged upper portion, and with a contracted chamber portion above the contracted body portion, a group of cooperating positive and negative electrodes arranged within the said contracted chamber portion, and means for supplying an electric current to the electrodes, ol means through which the liquid to be treated may be supplied to the vessel or reservoir in contact with the electrodes and caused to pass between them, a compartment into which the materials separated out from the liquid may descend, a

, filter arranged across the enlarged upper pertion of the vessel or reservoir, and means for conducting the purified and filtered liquid away from the apparatus extending from the enlarged upper portion of the vessel or reservoir above the filter, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a vessel or reser voir constructed with a contracted lower body portion, an enlarged upper portion and with a contracted chamber portion above a the contracted bod ortion a rou of cooperating positive and negative electrodes arranged within said contracted chamber portion, and means for supplying an electric current to the electrodes, of means through which the liquid to be treated may be supplied to the vessel or reservoir in contact with the electrodes and caused to pass between them, a compartment into which the materials separated out from the liquid may descend, a filter arranged across the enlarged upper portion of the vessel or reservoir, means for conducting the purified and liltered liquid away from the apparatus extending from the enlarged upper portion of the vessel or reservoir above the iilter, and mechanism by which the cleaning of the filter may be efi'ected, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a vessel or reservoir constructed with a contracted lower body portion, an upper portion and with a contracted chamber portion above the contracted body portion, a group of cooperating positive and negative electrodes arranged within said contracted chamber portion, and means for supplying an electric current to the electrodes, of means through which the liquid to be treated maybe supplied to the vessel or reservoir in contact with the electrodes and caused to pass between them, and a chamber located upon the vessel or reservoir and communicating with its interior for receiving the gas or gases set free by the action of the electric current in passing through the li uid, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a vessel or reser-= voir constructed with a lower main body portion A, an 11 per enlarged portion A and a contracted c iamber portion A above said lower main body portlon, a group of cooperating positive and negative electrodes arranged within the contracted chamber por tion, and means for supplying an electric current to the electrodes, of means through which the liquid to be treated may be supplied to the vessel or reservoir in contact with the electrodes and caused to pass between them, a chamber located u on the upper enlarged portion of the vesse or reservoir and communicating with its interior for receiving the gas or gases set free by the action of the electric current in passing through the liquid, a discharge-pipe, and a ressure-valve located u on the gas-receiving chamber, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a reservoir or receptacle, of a group of ositive and negative electrodes constructed in the form of corrugated plates, with the members of the ositive electrodes arranged between and a ternating with the negative electrodes, whereby a sinuous passage-way is formed between them, and means through which the liquid to be treated may be supplied to such reservoir or receptacle, and, after passing between the members of the electrodes, discharged from the reservoir or receptacle, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with a vessel or reservoir constructed with a contracted lower body portion and with a contracted chamber portion above its lower contracted body portion, 'a cooperating group of positive and negative electrodes arranged within the'contracted chamber portion, and means through which the liquid to be treated may be supplied to the vessel or reservoir above the electrodes and caused to flow down between such electrodes, of a second group of cooperating positive and negative electrodes arranged within the contracted body ,portion' of the vessel or reservoir, and means for sup lying an electric current to both groups oi electrodes, whereby the materials separated out from the liquid undergoing treatment by the first group of electrodes is acted upon b the second group of electrodes, substantial y as described.

8. The combination, with a vessel or reservoir, a group of cooperating positive and negative electrodes arranged wlthin its upper portion, and means through which the liquid to be treated may be supplied to such vessel or reservoir above the electrodes and caused to pass down betweenthem, of a secpurified liquid may be discharged from the 0nd group of co6peratmg po s1t1ve and negavessel or reservoir, substantially as described. 10 tive electrodes arranged within the lower por- In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my 'tion of the vessel or reservoir for acting upon hand this 29th day of January, 1904.

the materials separated out from the liquid LEON DION by the first-mentioned electrodes, means for Wit A sup lying an electric current to both groulrlis N G DOUGLASS of e ectrodes, and means through which t e R F S 

